Improvement in mowing-machines



UNITED STAT-Es l PATENT GEEICE.

WILLIAM VAN ANDEN, OF POUGHKEEPSIE, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN MOWlNG-NIACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 44,477. dated September 27, 121164.

To all whom it may concern:

Be 1t known that I, WILLIAM VAN ANDEN, of Poughkeepsie, Duchess county, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in .Mowing-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full description of the same.

The nature ofmy improvements consists, first, insuspending the cutter-barframe upon ajournal or bearing having one end supported by a hanger from the front end of the vframe of the lnachine and the other tothe outer end of the axle-tree of the propelling-wheels of the mower, and thereby give greater steadiness to the motion of the cutter-bar, and at the same time allow it to have a free up-and-down motion to adapt itself to the inequalities of the ground 5 and, second,in.the method of tipping or elevating the outer point of the cutter-bar by means ot ahand-leveroperating a toe-piece (secured to the frame ofthe machine) against a cam attached to the side of the cutter bar frame.

To describe my invention more particularly, I will refer to the accompanying drawings,

. forming a part of Vthis specification, the same letters ofreference,whenever they occur, referring to like parts. y

Figure l is a plan view of the machine. Fig. 2 is a side view of the machine. Fig. 3 is a side view of the machine through the line :o a', Fig. Fig. 4 is a front View ofthe machine, showing the application of lever and toe-piece in elevating the outer end of the cutter-bar. Fig. 5 is adetached sectional view of the handlever and toe-piece as secured to the frame of the machine. Fig. 6 is a detached plan view of the toe-piece and hand-lever. Fig. 7 is-a detached sectional view of the front end of the cutter-bar frame and cam attached thereto and toe-piece.

Letter A is the `frame of the mower, which is secured uponthe axle-tree B, of the propelling-wheels C by suitable boxes, D, bolted to patented. It will be apparent, however, that from the attachment of the frame to axle-tree it is not designed to have it revolve with the propelling-wheels C; but, on the contrary, it is designed to be in effect like the axletree of a wagon, having spindles formed -on its ends upon which the wheels revolve, like wagon-wheels, independent of' each other, and are alternately thrown in'and out of gear with the cutter-bar gear-wheels by suitable coupling-boxes for that purpose under control of the attendant of the machine.

Th'e'object of making the axle-tree fixed or non-revolving will be obvious as necessary for making a bearing or place of fixed support forv one end of the cutter-bar-journal frame E. By this means thejournal is shortened in length one-half what it would be it' extended so as to have a bearing on the frame of the machine, and just in proportion as it is shortened is it increased in stiffness and abili-ty to resist the jarring concussions of the cutter at each vibration, and at the same time cheapens the cost of makingit.

Letter F is the cu tter-barframe, secured upon the journal E; and G is a hanger, attached to the frame A, for supporting the lower end of the journal.

Letter H is a tapis or cam -like projection formed on the inner edge of the cutter-bar frame just below the bearings of thejournal E, and which is operated upon by the toe-piece I of a lever, J, secured by acenter pin, K, to the under side ot' the frame of the mower. This toe-piece has a beveling face. The object of this is to causea gradually-increasing leverage or bearing against the face of the cam H as it rotates around thejournal E, and atthe same time to adapt it to the longitudinal vibratory motion in consequence of its position 0n the frame of the mower.

Letter L is a hand-lever, attached by a center-pin, M,to the frame of the mowerjust back of the front rail, so that its lower end may act upon the back end of the lever J, and to w'hich it is connected by a link, N, so as to draw it in to relieve the toe from off the cam, and-thus let the cutter-bar down upon the surface of the ground again. v v

Letter P is an inclined plane, secured to the side of the tongue or pole Bof the mower, and upon which the leverL operates to lift the cutter-bar by means of the pin S in the side of it.

,to elevate the cutter-bar from of the ground it is then only brought into action by the attendant drawing toward him the upper end of the hand-lever, and thus lifting theframe of the mower in consequence of the pin S drawing back upon the inclined guideway, and at the same time tipping or elevating the outer end ot' the cutter-bar by means ot' the toepiece I acting 4upon the cam H'.

Having now described my improvements, l will proceed to set forth what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent ofthe United Statesr j 1. The short inclined journal E, united at its upper end directly to the axle B and atlixed at its lower end by a, hanger, G, to the frame A,

' in the manner and for the purpose described.

2. The arrangement ot' the stationary axle B, short inclined journal E, and vibrating out ter-bar frame or shoe F, constructed and 0pererating in the manner and for the purpose described.

3. The combination of'the link N, levencam I J, and cam H with the Vibrating cutter-'bar frame or shoe F, substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.

' 4. The combination of the lever L, link N, lever-cam I J, cam H,vibratingcutterbar frame or shoe F, and journal E, substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.

5. The arrangement of the cam H and the horizontally-swimging` cam-lever I J with' the vibrating frame or shoe F and the journal E, substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.

6. The combination ot' the inclined` plane P,

when attached to the pole ota mowin gfinachiue, with the hand-lever Land vibrating lever J, or the twofold purpose ot' lifting the front of the mower-frame and at the saine time tipping the outer end oi' the cutterbar, as hereinbet'ore set forth.

WM. VAN ANDEN.

Witnesses:

C. L. BARRITT,

J As. HENDERSON. 

